Draftosaurus Review
Back in 2019 when John Hammond was nursing some pretty nasty bite marks, another Jurassic Park was being built. In fact lots of mini dino parks were being planned by board gamers playing Draftosaurus. This family weight drafting game offered slick gameplay and a little more safety than Hammond’s vision – we all know how that ended after all!
So you wanna read a review of Draftosaurus? You’ve been so preoccupied with whether you could, have you stopped to think about whether you should?
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Setup
All players get a board, which should be on the same side for all players, either summer or winter. The only slightly complex thing about set up is that the number of dinosaurs used varies with player count, once that’s sorted put the dinos in the draw bag and decide on a first player giving them the die. As you can tell, set up is easier than stealing dino DNA in a Barbasol cryocan!
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Gameplay
Draftosaurus is a simple drafting game. You will be placing dinosaurs in enclosures to maximise point scoring opportunities. The board game is played over two rounds, and starts with each player drawing six dinos from the bag. You will pick one of these and pass the rest around the table. Once all the initial dinos are drafted, you draw six more and go again with the pass and play.
Each region has different scoring conditions, such as placing dinos in pairs, or placing alternating dinosaurs, that sort of thing. However, there is a randomiser in the form of the die. The first player will roll this and it will limit placement of a dinosaur in a particular region of the board for all other players, the first player can ignore this though. This benefit is shared, as after everyone has placed, the die moves around the table. Once everyone has placed twelve dinosaurs on their boards the game ends and scores tallied. Points are predominantly scored by enclosure, but you get an additional point for each enclosure that includes at least one T-Rex. The winner, unsurprisingly, is the player with the most points!
Like many drafting games, I do think Draftosaurus works better at higher player counts. I rarely, actually never, drag it off the shelf to play it two player only. The variant two player game sees you removing dinos after each turn, which makes it a meaner game. Some might like that!
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What it’s like
Draftosaurus is a super quick game to play and teach. Drafting games always benefit from little down time, which always ensures a decent pace. The quick pace and colourful components have kept my children captivated since quite a young age.
There can be frustrations, especially with the randomness of the dice rolls, but generally you have options. These options may not be the most optimum for point scoring, but sometimes you have to just make do. That is part of the board game, so don’t go moaning about it!
The summer and winter sides of the board feel very familiar but mixes up the gameplay just enough. Now the boys are a bit older, I tend to play through both sides as one game as it gives a slightly longer experience without outstaying its welcome.
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Table Presence
I don’t think anyone can deny that the dinosaurs are super cute in their bold colourways. They are certainly the star of the show when it comes to the aesthetics. The player boards are good, I sometimes think the winter board could be clearer in terms of terrain, but they are pleasing on the eye overall.
It’s a long time since I read the rulebook, but I remember it to be clear and concise without any ambiguity. The custom dice is nice, although one side on mine is a little less clear than the others, but I’m being pernickety there!
Really, the only things that gripe me are not what is in the box, but rather what has been omitted. The lack of a score sheet is the first travesty in my opinion. I know some people are moving onto digital scoresheets, especially with the fantastic Board Game Stats app, but I’m much more traditional than that and I want to scramble to find a pen to tally final scores! I have ended up buying my own small Dinosaur-themed pad and matching pencil to do the final adding up, which we keep in the box.
The other thing that is missing and I think would’ve been a lovely addition are some dinosaur themed cups to put the dinos in during drafting. You are expected to pass these around in your hand, but younger players have smaller hands, so little beakers or cups would’ve been most welcome. We end up scrambling to find cups instead of a pen when playing this one!
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What the kids thought
Max (9): My favourite thing is how all the enclosures score differently and the two sides offer different challenges. The dinosaurs are adorable!
George (13): I like the two versions: the summer and winter sides as the maps offer more variety. The little dinosaurs are really cute too! Overall, it’s a game I would recommend and enjoy playing it with my friends.
Harrison (15): I really like the varying boards and how you can play both sides, I slightly prefer the winter board. The wooden dinosaurs are cool, in fact they are T-reffic! It’s a really good kids game.
Final thoughts on Draftosaurus
I’ve already mentioned that Draftosaurus has been a fantastic game to play with my boys. It has hit the table regularly ever since I purchased it. Playing up to five people with limited downtime has ensured this has got to the table lots. Draftosaurus really does earn its place on the shelf nicely.
For a younger family, Draftosaurus is a really easy game to recommend. While there is a fair bit of luck, it is not devoid of strategy and I always enjoy playing it. I will add, that I would not hesitate to play this with my friends as well as the kids as a quick little filler or warm-up game.
Key Facts
Number of players: 2 to 5
Board Game Review Recommended Age: 6+
Publisher’s Recommended Age: 8+
Playing Time: 20 minutes
Setting Up and Take Down Time: 1 minute
Designers: Antoine Bauza, Corentin Lebrat, Ludovic Maublanc, Théo Rivière
Publisher: Ankama / Ghenos Games
RRP: £27.99
Summary
Draftosaurus is a lovely puzzle of a board game for all the family. It’s quick and good looking. A great entry level drafting game that still offers plenty of fun for more seasoned players as a lovely light filler!
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Artwork and Components
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Complexity
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Instructions
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Interaction
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Value for Money
Overall
Pros
- Quick to play
- Plays up to five people
- Colourful dinosaur components
- Fantastic family fun
Cons
- Some luck
- No scorepad
- No dinosaur receptacles
- Can go out of stock for long periods making it hard to find, especially with English rules
Buy Draftosaurus
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Reviewer’s Note
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